- Care home
Homewards Limited - 20 Leonard Road
All Inspections
9 September 2020
During an inspection looking at part of the service
Homewards Limited – 20 Leonard Road provides accommodation with personal care for up to three people with learning disabilities or autism spectrum disorder. At the time of this inspection there were two people using the service.
People’s experience of using this service
A relative told us their relative was safe and they were satisfied with the cleanliness in the service.
Staff confirmed they were provided with adequate amounts of personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves.
Staff understood what action to take if they suspected somebody was being harmed or abused.
Staff knew how to report accidents and incidents.
People had risk assessments to keep them safe from the risks they may face.
A relative and staff spoke positively about the management of the service.
The provider carried out quality checks such as infection control.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 31/10/2017) .
Why we inspected
This was a targeted inspection based on concerns raised with the local authority in relation to staffing, risk management, safeguarding and incident and accident reporting, .
CQC have introduced targeted inspections to follow up on Warning Notices or to check specific concerns. They do not look at an entire key question, only the part of the key question we are specifically concerned about. Targeted inspections do not change the rating from the previous inspection. This is because they do not assess all areas of a key question.
We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from these concerns.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to coronavirus and other infection outbreaks effectively.
Please see the safe, and well led sections of this full report.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Homewards Limited - 20 Leonard Road on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
21 August 2017
During a routine inspection
At our last inspection the service was rated Good.
At this inspection we found the service remained Good.
People received personalised care from staff who understood their needs. We observed positive interaction between staff and the person using the service and staff respected the person’s choices and preferences. Staff understood the importance of maintaining the person’s privacy and treating them with dignity and respect.
Safe recruitment procedures were being followed to ensure people were supported by staff who were suitably vetted before starting work. Staff received regular support and supervision and relevant training to carry out their jobs effectively.
People were safe from the risk of abuse because staff knew the signs to look for and what action to take should they suspect any abuse, including reporting any concerns to the relevant authorities.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control over their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty to meet people’s needs. Staff felt supported in their role and received training relevant to their job.
The service operated within the legal framework of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).
People’s nutritional needs were met and staff knew their likes and dislikes and preferences for care. People’s care plans were person-centred and included information on their life stories and individual needs and preferences.
People’s cultural, religious and spiritual needs were acknowledged and supported when required. The provider updated staff on people’s changing needs and recorded them in their care plans. Staff were responsive to those needs.
The provider maintained effective systems and processes, and carried out regular monitoring checks and audits to identify gaps and areas of improvement to ensure the quality and safety of the service delivery.
Risk assessments identified risks and how these should be mitigated. Medicines were managed safely. We made a recommendation regarding the management of controlled drugs.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.
25 March 2015
During a routine inspection
We inspected Homewards Limited - 20 Leonard Road on 25 March 2015. This was an announced inspection. The service was given 24 hours’ notice because we needed to be sure that someone would be in.
Homewards Limited - 20 Leonard Road is a care home providing personal care and support for people with learning disabilities. The home is registered for three people. At the time of the inspection they were providing personal care and support to three people.
There was a registered manager at the service at the time of our inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
We spoke with one person who used the service and two relatives and they told us they felt safe and were happy with the care and support provided. We found that systems were in place to help ensure people were safe. For example, staff had a good understanding of what constituted abuse and the abuse reporting procedures. People’s finances were managed and audited regularly by staff. People were given their prescribed medicines safely.
Staff received regular one to one supervision and undertook regular training. People had access to health care professionals and the home sought to promote people’s health. People were supported to make their own decisions where they had capacity. Where people lacked capacity proper procedures were followed in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. People were provided with a choice of healthy food and drink ensuring their nutritional needs were met.
We found people were cared for by sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff. Robust recruitment and selection procedures were in place and appropriate checks had been undertaken before staff began work.
People’s needs were assessed and care and support was planned and delivered in line with their individual care needs. The support plans contained a good level of information setting out how each person should be supported to ensure their needs were met. Care and support was tailored to meet people’s individual needs and staff knew people well. The support plans included risk assessments. Staff had good relationships with the people living at the home and the atmosphere was happy and relaxed.
We observed interactions between staff and people living in the home and staff were caring and respectful to people when supporting them. Staff knew how to respect people’s privacy and dignity. People were supported to attend meetings where they could express their views about the service.
We found that people were supported to access the local community and wider society. This included education opportunities. People using the service pursued their own individual activities and interests, with the support of staff if required.
There was a clear management structure in the home. People who lived at the home, relatives and staff felt comfortable about sharing their views and talking to the manager if they had any concerns. The registered manager demonstrated a good understanding of their role and responsibilities, and staff told us the manager was always supportive. There were systems in place to routinely monitor the safety and quality of the service provided.
23 January 2014
During a routine inspection
There were clear care plans and risk assessments that took account of specialist advice and guidance from health professionals. People were treated with dignity and respect and were cared for safely. Relatives said that they could visit any time and that they had no concerns about the welfare of the people who used the service.
People who used the service were supported by trained staff who felt supported by the provider.
The provider had an effective system in place to monitor that the care provided met standards set by the local authority.
25 January 2013
During a routine inspection
We reviewed care plans and found them to be individual, up to date and reflecting the individual's current health status. There were adequate personal and medical records of people's care kept. We found that people were cared for in a clean and safe environment. There were adequate systems in place to maintain the property and staff were aware of the procedure to follow in an emergency.
We found that there were enough skilled and experienced staff to look after people who used the service. Staff told us that they were supported and received appropriate training. Staff said they were happy with the current staffing levels. There was enough equipment to meet people's needs and staff had been taught how to use the equipment. Staff were aware of how to clean equipment and where to report if equipment became faulty.